Alabama Seeks Supreme Court Stay for 2026 Map Fight Over 2 Majority-Black Districts
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · May 27
Alabama Seeks Supreme Court Stay for 2026 Map Fight Over 2 Majority-Black Districts
19 articles · Updated · POLITICO · May 27
Alabama asked the Supreme Court to immediately pause a lower-court order and let election officials keep preparing for 2026 under the state’s 2023 congressional map.
Tuesday’s unanimous three-judge ruling said the map violated the 14th Amendment by discriminating against Black voters, effectively requiring two majority-Black districts that Alabama says unlawfully elevates race over other redistricting goals.
The state argued an added Black-majority district would split communities of interest, weaken what it called a unified Gulf Coast voice and pair incumbents, and it asked the justices to act by Monday.
Clarence Thomas received the emergency appeal and is expected to refer it to the full court, which earlier this month granted Alabama a similar stay after a separate Supreme Court ruling narrowed part of the Voting Rights Act.
The dispute is already affecting election logistics: Alabama held primaries this month but withheld results in 4 affected districts, with special elections planned for Aug. 11.
After a historic election, could a new map undo recent gains in minority congressional representation?
Alabama’s Congressional Map Blocked for 2026: Court Cites Intentional Racial Discrimination, Supreme Court Test Looms After Callais Ruling
Overview
On May 26, 2026, a unanimous three-judge federal panel blocked Alabama from using its 2023 congressional map for the November elections, marking a major setback for Republicans who hoped to regain a Democratic-held seat. The court reviewed the case using the Supreme Court’s new Voting Rights Act standard and found that Alabama’s map intentionally discriminated against Black voters, violating the 14th Amendment. This decision forces Alabama to draw a new map and highlights the ongoing legal battle over fair representation, with the state now appealing to the Supreme Court for a final decision.